Eat Heart Healthy Red Beans: Ranked #1 on the Antioxidant Scale

Who knew? Sometimes you find powerful disease-fighting antioxidant riches in foods you least expect. One of these foods is red beans. Red beans ranked number 1 out of the top 100 foods in terms of total antioxidant capacity per serving-beating out blueberries-which ranked number 2.

Beans are also an incredibly heart-healthy source of fiber, complex carbs, vitamins, minerals, and plant protein, with zero cholesterol and negligible fat content. And all this amazing nutrition for just pennies on the dollar that also helps you prevent heart disease.

Herbed Red Beans and Brown Rice

A tea bag steeped in the cooking liquid adds a beautiful brown hue to the rice. Check out this heart-healthy recipe:

1 ¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or water

1 regular-size black tea bag

¾ cup long-grain brown rice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic

One 16-ounce can red beans or kidney beans with their juice (about 2 cups)

¼ cup tomato paste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup fresh minced parsley

1/4 cup chopped scallion

In a medium saucepan bring chicken broth or water to a boil over medium heat. Add tea bag and let boil for 30 seconds. Remove tea bag and stir in rice. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add beans, tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until sauce is thickened. Stir in parsley and chopped scallion and serve over hot brown rice. Top with fat-free sour cream if desired.

Note: to cut the sodium content of this dish, use a can of low-sodium beans.

Serves 4

NUTRITION

Per 1/2 cup beans and 1 1/3 cups cooked rice

Calories: 342

Fat: 11 g (0 g EPA, 0 g DHA, <1 g ALA)

Saturated Fat: 3 g

Cholesterol: 6 mg

Sodium: 651 mg

Carbohydrate: 50 g

Dietary Fiber: 7 g

Sugars: 2 g

Protein: 13 g

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One of the best ways to get back in shape after having a baby is to breast-feed. The physiological process of breast-feeding requires that a woman's metabolic rate go into overtime as her body strives to produce milk to nurture her growing infant. This process requires an exorbitant amount of calories to sustain. If you combine breast-feeding with both a nutrient-dense, calorie-controlled diet (with enough calories to support lactation) and regular aerobic exercise (like taking the baby for long walks), you will surely be on the right track for getting back into shape and getting back your pre-pregnancy body.
If a woman decides not to breast-feed, she can still take a healthy approach to getting back into shape following the birth of her new baby. The extra fat that Mother Nature adds to a woman's body to support her pregnancy can be taken off following the same general principles for all types of healthy weight loss: eat a healthy, balanced, calorie-controlled diet combined with regular exercise, and aim for a weight loss of no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week. There are registered dietitians who specialize in pregnancy, and I would highly recommend you consult with one to get on the right path. Go to www.eatright.org to find a registered dietitian in your area.